How to File a Lawsuit for Injuries on a Yacht
After sustaining injuries due to negligence or recklessness on a yacht, you may have a compensation claim against the yacht owner. To learn how to file a lawsuit and bring a successful claim, you can turn to our lawyers.
To file a lawsuit and get the damages you need for injuries on a yacht, you must document the incident. You should also seek medical attention right away to avoid compromising your case. Whether the state statute of limitations or maritime law statute of limitations applies depends on whether the yacht was on navigable or non-navigable waters when you were injured, and our lawyers can confirm your filing deadline so you don’t miss it.
Get a free and confidential case evaluation from Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A. by calling our yacht accident lawyers for help at (305) 204-5369.
How Do You File a Successful Lawsuit for Injuries on a Yacht?
We can help you file a successful lawsuit for injuries you sustained on a yacht, yielding compensation for all the damages you incurred.
Document the Accident
First, document the incident. The yacht should have a radio to contact the U.S. Coast Guard or local emergency services for help. If you have cell phone service on the yacht, you can even call 911.
Documenting an accident includes photographing any physical evidence that may soon be gone. You can ask witnesses to take photos if you’re too injured to do so yourself.
Get Medical Attention
In every personal injury lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove their injuries were due to the defendant’s negligence. This makes getting immediate medical attention very important, as it helps establish when and how you were injured.
We need clear evidence of your injuries, and may use X-rays, surgical reports, official diagnoses, physicians’ notes, MRI scans, and other medical records in your lawsuit, collecting this evidence from medical providers on your behalf.
Let Our Lawyers Gather Evidence
Accidents and injuries on yachts often happen during social gatherings, so there may be several eyewitnesses. Tell us who you know was present at the accident, and we can track down other eyewitnesses. They can testify about seeing you slip on a slick deck, being overserved alcohol before falling overboard, or otherwise being the victim of negligence.
Identify Liability
The yacht’s owner is most likely liable for your injuries. When taking a tour or dinner cruise on a commercial yacht, you may be asked to sign a liability waiver beforehand. That doesn’t automatically preclude you from filing a lawsuit and seeking compensation for injuries. Our yacht accident lawyers can determine whether the liability waiver is enforceable and move forward from there.
Tally Your Damages
You need to know your losses from the accident before filing a lawsuit, so you know how much compensation to ask for. Common injuries on yachts include soft tissue injuries, sprains, and fractures from slip and falls, as well as neck and back injuries from falls overboard. All of these injuries require medical treatment and may even temporarily prevent you from working.
We can tally up all economic damages and non-economic damages from the yacht accident so you know your claim’s value.
File Your Case on Time
You can’t file a successful lawsuit for a yacht accident if you miss the statute of limitations. For yacht accidents in non-navigable waters, your state’s statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits would apply. If the accident happened in non-navigable waters in Florida, for example, you would have two years to sue. For yacht accidents in navigable waters like high seas or coastal waters, maritime law applies, giving victims one year to bring a case.
FAQs About Filing a Lawsuit for Injuries on a Yacht
Can I File a Lawsuit for Injuries on a Yacht if I Signed a Liability Waiver?
Liability waivers are not always enforceable and cannot relieve liability for intentional acts or injuries caused by gross negligence. Don’t assume the liability waiver you signed before boarding a commercial yacht is enforceable until you confirm with our lawyers.
Can I File a Lawsuit for Injuries on a Yacht as a Crew Member?
If you were injured while working on a yacht as a crew member, the Jones Act lets you sue your employer, most likely the yacht owner, for injuries due to their negligence or that of other crew members.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit for Injuries on a Yacht?
How long you have to file a lawsuit for injuries on a yacht depends on which statute of limitations applies to your case, which our lawyers can confirm right away, so you are not at risk of missing the filing deadline.
What Economic Damages Can a Lawsuit for Yacht Accident Injuries Cover?
The lawsuit you file after a yacht accident can cover all current and future medical damages, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Do not underestimate your economic damages or do anything that jeopardizes your recovery of them, such as returning to work prematurely or missing doctor appointments.
What Non-Economic Damages Can a Lawsuit for Yacht Accident Injuries Cover?
Anoxic brain injuries and other drowning injuries from falls overboard due to negligence, as well as other injuries often seen in yacht accidents, cause pain, suffering, and other intangible harms that are also compensable in a lawsuit.
Do I Need a Lawyer’s Help to File a Lawsuit for Injuries on a Yacht?
Having a lawyer who has experience litigating lawsuits for injuries on yachts and other vessels is important, especially if maritime law applies to your case and not general personal injury law. You can rely on your lawyer to build, file, and litigate your injury case.
Call Us for Help After a Yacht Accident
Call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A. at (305) 204-5369 for a free case assessment from our yacht accident lawyers.
